A SNEAKER BEGINS LONG BEFORE IT IS MADE.
THIS PAGE FOLLOWS ONE PAIR FROM THE ANIMAL TO THE BOX. WHAT HAPPENS AT EACH STAGE, WHERE IT HAPPENS, AND WHY IT MATTERS.
THE UPPER IS DEERSKIN, FROM WILD WHITE TAILED DEER.
THE SKINS ARE TAKEN IN A SEASON SET EACH YEAR BY THE STATE.
DEERSKIN IS SOFT, BREATHABLE AND STRONG UNDER STRAIN. IT MOVES WITH THE FOOT.
A RAW SKIN DECAYS. TANNING CHANGES ITS FIBRES SO THAT IT BECOMES LEATHER.
THE DEERSKIN IS TANNED AND FINISHED BY LA BIESSEUNO IN COLOGNA VENETA.
THE TANNERY IS CERTIFIED BY THE LEATHER WORKING GROUP, WHICH AUDITS TANNERIES ON WATER, ENERGY, CHEMICALS, WASTE AND THE TRACEABILITY OF THEIR HIDES. THE CERTIFICATE IS PUBLIC.
THE FORM COMES BEFORE THE SNEAKER.
A LAST IS THE SHAPE OF A FOOT, CARVED FOR ONE DESIGN. EVERY PAIR IS BUILT AROUND IT, AND IT DECIDES THE FIT BEFORE A STITCH IS MADE.
1812 LASTS ARE MADE IN ENGLAND BY SPRINGLINE, IN PLASTIC. THE MAKER RETURNS ITS OWN WASTE PLASTIC TO PRODUCTION.
EVERY PIECE IS CUT BY HAND. IN THE TRADE, THIS IS CLICKING.
NO TWO HIDES ARE ALIKE. THE CUTTER READS EACH ONE FOR ITS MARKS AND THE WAY IT STRETCHES, AND PLACES EVERY PIECE WHERE THE LEATHER IS RIGHT FOR IT.
CLOSING JOINS THE CUT PIECES INTO AN UPPER.
LASTING DRAWS THE UPPER OVER THE LAST AND HOLDS IT THERE UNTIL IT KEEPS THE FORM.
BOTH ARE DONE BY HAND. EVERY 1812 SNEAKER IS MADE IN ENGLAND.
THE SOLE UNIT IS MOULDED IN ONE PIECE. IT IS MADE WITH PLASTICS.
EVERY PAIR CAN BE RESOLED. THE WORN UNIT IS TAKEN OFF, A NEW ONE IS FITTED, AND THE UPPER GOES ON.
THE OLD UNIT IS RETURNED FOR RECYCLING.
BLACK LINEN, MADE IN ENGLAND. A COTTON BAG FOR EACH FOOT. BLACK TISSUE.
IT IS MADE TO BE KEPT.
THE GOAL IS ZERO PLASTIC IN THE PACKAGING.
THE GOALS
ZERO PLASTIC IN THE PACKAGING.
RENEWABLE ENERGY ACROSS THE MAKING, THE DELIVERY AND THE BUSINESS.
NEITHER IS YET MET. EACH IS WRITTEN HERE AS IT IS REACHED, AND NOT BEFORE.
A GLOSSARY
DEERSKIN
LEATHER FROM THE SKIN OF THE DEER. SOFT, LIGHT AND BREATHABLE.
NUBUCK
LEATHER WHOSE GRAIN SIDE IS BUFFED TO A FINE, CLOSE NAP.
TANNING
THE PROCESS THAT TURNS A RAW SKIN INTO LEATHER THAT WILL NOT DECAY.
LEATHER WORKING GROUP
A NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANISATION THAT AUDITS TANNERIES ON THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE AND THE TRACEABILITY OF THEIR HIDES.
LAST
THE FORM A SNEAKER IS BUILT ON. IT DECIDES THE FIT AND THE SHAPE.
CLICKING
CUTTING THE PIECES OF AN UPPER FROM THE HIDE, BY HAND.
CLOSING
STITCHING THE CUT PIECES TOGETHER TO MAKE THE UPPER.
LASTING
DRAWING THE UPPER OVER THE LAST AND SECURING IT SO THAT IT TAKES THE SHAPE.
SOLE UNIT
THE MOULDED SOLE, MADE IN ONE PIECE AND JOINED TO THE LASTED UPPER.
RESOLING
TAKING OFF A WORN SOLE UNIT AND FITTING A NEW ONE, SO THE UPPER CAN BE WORN AGAIN.
WHAT IS NOT WRITTEN
WHERE A FACT IS NOT YET CONFIRMED, IT IS NOT WRITTEN HERE. AS EACH ONE IS, IT IS ADDED.
THE EVIDENCE BEHIND EVERY LINE ON THIS PAGE IS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.
